This invention relates to conveyor systems through which operations are performed on transported articles such as poultry maintained segregated according to grade or quality.
Conveyor systems through which sizing operations are performed on poultry at weighing stations are already well-known, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat Nos. 3,123,373 and 3,291,303. In order to perform such sizing or similar operations with respect to poultry of different grade or quality, separate conveyor lines were heretofore utilized, each line servicing only one poultry grade. In order to perform operations for a plurality of different grades with a single conveyor line, poultry carrier positioners have been proposed for angularly orientating each carrier in accordance with the grade of the poultry placed thereon. Such carrier positioners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,749. Another method utilized for serving poultry of different grades on a single conveyor line involves the use of differently coded carriers on the same line respectively receiving poultry of different specified grades.
There are several problems or drawbacks in utilizing a single conveyor line to separately service different grades of poultry. Use of a poultry grading positioner as aforementioned requires physical reorientation of the carriers both automatically and manually which limits the production speed of the conveyor line. The reorientation procedure is sometimes a cause of malfunction and requires a high degree of attentiveness on the part of personnel. The other single conveyor line method of using differently coded carriers assigned to the handling of different poultry grades, either slows down production unnecessarily, or creates handling difficulties for personnel at the poultry loading station where the supply of poultry for each grade is erratic.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a single conveyor line system through which servicing operations may be separately performed with respect to differently classified objects, without the problems and drawbacks aforementioned.